Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

Contact tracing is widely viewed as crucial for the country to reopen safely. But the states face an uphill battle in launching successful efforts to do so.

NBC News:
As States Reopen, Contact Tracing Efforts Hobbled By Obstacles
In Texas, where gyms and offices this week joined the list of businesses that can reopen at limited capacity, only half of the 4,000 contact tracers needed by the state have been hired so far. In Illinois' Cook County, there are about 30 contact tracers for the 2.5 million people who live outside of Chicago — far fewer than the 750 that officials are hoping for should funding become available in the next couple of weeks. Last week, the county racked up the most confirmed coronavirus infections in the nation. (Ortiz, 5/19)

Stat:
Health Data Privacy Draws Fresh Scrutiny From Lawmakers Amid Pandemic
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, health data privacy wasn’t exactly a hot topic on Capitol Hill. By and large, lawmakers stuck to scolding tech giants like Google for getting their hands on patient data gathered by hospitals and smartphone apps. But the digital tools being deployed to combat Covid-19 have thrust the issue into the spotlight, drawing fresh interest from federal lawmakers who have swiftly introduced several new bills aimed at protecting Americans’ health data related to the coronavirus. (Robbins, 5/20)

Boston Globe:
R.I. Unveils ‘Crush COVID’ Mobile App That Allows GPS Tracking In Case People Get Sick
Governor Gina M. Raimondo on Tuesday unveiled a “Crush COVID RI" mobile app that can track where people go so health officials can trace their contacts if they get the coronavirus. “The name of the game is containing the virus," Raimondo said. "We can’t stop it. We can only hope to contain it.” Soon after the announcement, the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island raised a couple of concerns about what it called the “potential ‘Big Brother’ aspects” of the app. (Fitzpatrick, 5/19)

ProPublica:
You Don’t Need Invasive Tech For Successful Contact Tracing. Here’s How It Works.
I want you to mentally prepare yourself for a phone call that you could receive sometime over the course of this pandemic: in the next few months or year. Your phone might ring, and when you pick it up, you may hear someone say, “Hi, I’m calling from the health department.” After verifying your identity, the person may say something like, “I’m afraid we have information that you were in close contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus.” (Chen, 5/19)

Kaiser Health News:
To Stem COVID, This Small Indiana City Decided To Test All Public-Facing Employees
Behind a nondescript strip mall in Carmel, Indiana, a short line of cars gathers mid-afternoon next to a large tent. Medical professionals stand out front, dressed head to toe in blue medical coveralls. People in the cars — many of them first responders — drive up to be tested for COVID-19. The test involves a really long swab placed deep into the nose, toward the back of the throat. “No, it’s not fun, but it’s quick. I would say painless, but it is a little painful,” Carmel firefighter Tim Griffin said. “It’s 5-10 seconds and then it’s all done and the burning goes away and you move on.” (Barrett, 5/19)

Stat:
FDA Will Seek To Collect ‘Real-World’ Data On Covid-19
The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that it will launch a new research project focused on real-world evidence — data collected by insurance companies, in electronic health records, and in other places in medicine — to learn more about Covid-19, including how diagnostics and medications are being used in the pandemic and how best to design studies to test them. The project is a collaboration with Aetion, a New York health tech startup that specializes in real-world evidence. (Herper, 5/19)

This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.

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